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THE WES PTO

THE WALLINGFORD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PARENT TEACHER ORGANIZATION

Spring Direct Appeal

Please consider making a tax deductible contribution to the 2025 Spring Direct Appeal by May 31st to help us hit our fundraising goal of $12,000!

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2024 - 2025 Executive Committee

Chair: Janine Berstein
Co-Chair: Coco Kaminski
Secretary: Katie Dooley
Treasurer: Tara Salerno
Receiving Treasurer: Catherine Williams

announcements

Please join us for a fun-filled afternoon with games, prizes, treats and excitement for the entire family! This PTO-sponsored event will take place behind WES from 12:30pm to 3:00pm on Friday, May 16th.

Our greatest need is help running the games (must have clearances). In addition to game volunteers, we also need equipment and food donations (such as tents, coolers, and ice). This is a beloved tradition, and we cannot make it happen without your support. Thank you!

Wristbands can be purchased in advance here for a discount price of $12.00 each. Each wristband will include unlimited games, 2 drinks, and 3 snacks. Scholarships for wristbands are available, please email your teacher if you need one! Classroom teachers will have students’ wristbands, nothing is being sent home for you to manage. Day of wristbands will cost $15.00.

An important note on siblings at May Day: Younger siblings (preschool age) are welcome to attend with a parent and you can purchase wristbands at the event ticket booth on Friday, or in advance with your child’s order. Older siblings in Middle or High school are not permitted to attend for security reasons. Please remember this event takes place on our campus during the school day so it is important that we follow all required security protocols. Older siblings will NOT be permitted to enter onto campus on Friday afternoon — please ensure your older children are aware of this — we would like to avoid turning our alumni away at the door. Thank you for your understanding and support!

*AM Kindergarten students are invited to attend as well, but they must be accompanied by an adult.

There are TWO WAYS to pre-order wristbands:

Purchase online. (No worrying about whether or not your payment actually made it in!) OR
Fill out the information here and return the form with payment to your child’s teacher by Monday, May 12th. Cash is accepted; checks should be payable to WES PTO.

Thank you on behalf of the May Day Committee.

VOLUNTEER

If you are interested in being a Homeroom Parent for your child’s class next year, please reach out to Jill Briggs. Most of our volunteers reach out before the end of the previous school year to be put on the list for the following fall — once your child is assigned a teacher, if you are matched as an HR Parent, you will be contacted at the start of the school year. All HR Parents must have up-to-date clearances. Thank you for your interest in volunteering!

The PTO is looking for compassionate "host families" to welcome new families into our school community throughout the year! PTO has identified that many families join our school after the K year. Please join us in ensuring they feel connected from day one. Together, we can make WES a place where everyone feels like a part of the family!
As a host family, you’ll be asked to do very little but could make a big impact on another family's experience here:
⦁ Be willing to provide your contact information to the new family
⦁ Welcome the new family with a small gesture
⦁ Be a warm and friendly face at school events
⦁ Share important information or reminders and be a resource to answer questions throughout the year

If you're interested in becoming a host family, please reach out to Katie Dooley or Jenn Lukas by June 1st and we will be in touch at the end of the summer with more information and a match family.

The Sustainability Committee has started a recycling program for school or home items that are difficult to recycle. Please bring in these items to the front lobby instead of throwing them out: printer cartridges, batteries, backpacks, pencils and pencil pouches, glue sticks and bottles (empty), pens, markers, highlighters, and crayons. We will be utilizing the recycling program through Staples. The crayons will be re-molded into new crayons that are given to children's hospitals around the US! Let's help keep these items out of a landfill! For more information contact: Christina Forwood, Amanda Hemmer, Erin Stancill, Danielle Ruttenberg or Shannon Swierczek.

The Fifth Grade End of Year Pool Party at Rose Valley Pool will take place on Friday, May 30th. Help us make the event memorable for our soon-to-be middle schoolers! Please sign up to contribute to this special event — there are opportunities for 5th Grade parents to volunteer their time (chaperone, set-up & clean-up, walking students to/from WES) and also donate items. Pizza and water ice will be provided by the PTO.

Volunteer for Morning Car Line

SIGN UP HERE NOW for Car Line for the 2024-25 school year. Thank you to all of our dedicated volunteers over the past few years. We couldn’t have done it without you! For anyone not familiar, Car Line Volunteers help with ensuring a smooth car drop off for all of our kids each morning from 8:15-8:45am, in the back loop of WES. If you have any questions, please contact Ted Benzing.